In Spite of..

We are in the process of starting to study the Book of Revelation. This letter unfolds the great events of what is happening prior to Jesus return to the earth. Verse 3 of Chapter 1 even gives us a special blessing to those who take the time to read it. Verse 3 says “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” This letter is written by the Apostle John who was on the island of Patmos at the time. Patmos was a prison island where you were sent to do hard labor in the mines or quarries. John had been sent there because the ruler of Rome did not like the message John was preaching and yet this is the location of the greatest prophetic revelation any man has ever received. Did you notice this did not happen in a temple or a church , but on a sin filled island full of criminals and undesirables. Have you ever noticed you tend to feel God’s presence more clearly when you are in tribulation or suffering. Sometimes, these unpleasant circumstances allows us to be more in tune with God. Most of Paul’s letters were written from dingy prison cells; not from a well-equipped office or from a fancy hotel room. There are many incidents in the Bible in which the imprisoned disciples praise God only to have something miraculous happen. Acts 12 tells us Peter was put in prison by Herod and verse 6 -7 says “And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, ‘Arise quickly!’ And his chains fell off his hands.” The story goes on and tells of his escape. Revelation 1:10 tells us “ I (John) was in the Spirt on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as a trumpet,..” Inspite of John’s terrible conditions and surrounded by criminals, he still has found time to pray and meditate in the Lord. John was in the exact place God wanted him to be. A place where he could focus on God without all the other distractions of the world tugging at him. Yet, this is where God revealed man kinds future to the world. You see, John was exactly where he was suppose to be. This may be a good week to stop and focus on God and listen for that still small voice. You many find out you are exactly in the spot or situation God wants you in and He has a very special message for you. When you stop and listen, you too, may find out God’s still small voice sounds just like a trumpet calling. It says John turned around to see the voice that spoke to him and today we have 22 chapters telling of the return of Jesus Christ. I can hardly wait to find out what the next chapter has in store.